The Importance of Impact

Posted on January 3, 2012 by

Ask a nonprofit professional what his or her nonprofit does and the answer will undoubtedly be a litany of the activities the organization performs.  It’s not surprising, therefore, that most appeals for support focus on the needs of the organization in order to implement these tasks.  It’s all so very inward looking and as such, often puts your donors precisely where you don’t want them:  On the outside looking in.

What if, instead, that nonprofit professional talked about the impact or outcomes of the work they do?  And if appeals thought about the accomplishments their donors imagined?  I suspect rather more prospects would become donors and more donors would repeat their acts of generosity.

We all know that the story of one person is easier to understand and care about than huge numbers and raw data.  Hearing about the outcome of the work the nonprofit does—what it means to that one person—brings it closer to home.  That, in turn, makes it real.  And real makes it something you want to fund.

Real, however, to the donor.  And that means understanding who your donors are and why they care about your organization.  Real also means speaking in a language they can understand and which has meaning.

If I hear about one more school that “nurtures” its students; social service agency that works with “at risk” youth or “underrepresented” populations, I may just have to scream.  I’ve been at this for many, many years, and really, enough is more than enough.

Can we just talk about what we do and why we do it?  Kids who don’t know how to add and subtract numbers, can’t read or understand all but the simplest words, certainly don’t face a bright future.  So how many students actually learn those skills?  What has it meant one, two, five…ten years out?

What has your program accomplished (achieved, completed, done) and what does that mean to your clients, the neighborhood, the larger community?  Great, you’ve fed 50,000 people.  And yes, that by itself tells a story.  But  what has been the effect on them, on society, on their children and looking forward to their children’s children.

Maybe nothing.  Perhaps your impact is purely local and immediate.  There is nothing wrong with that…and there are those who will care precisely for that reason.  So tell that story and don’t pretend, for example, that you are “breaking the cycle” of poverty if, in fact, you are not.

Measure what you are accomplishing.  Show how that makes a real difference.  Talk about the outcomes and be honest what that means.  Let’s let go of jargon and words that are meaningless.  Let’s commit to telling our stories and explaining why they truly matter. And let’s remember that a lot of little baby steps can get you a long way and impact doesn’t have to be huge to be important.

 

Janet Levine works with nonprofits, helping them to increase their fundraising capacity so they can continue to take steps large and small to impact their clients, their communities and their world.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com

 

 

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Busy, Busy

Posted on December 27, 2011 by

Busy.  Busy busy.  Busy busy busy.  I could learn to hate that word.

I especially hate it when someone tells me that they are too busy to do something that they are supposed to be doing.  In my experience, that is generally the one person who is decidedly NOT too busy.  Indeed, you know that old saw—if you want something done…ask the busiest person you know.

Years ago, I was managing a business, going to school, AND I was a single mom.  And yet, somehow, I was the one parent who managed to go on every class trip.  It’s not because I am well organized.  Believe me. I am not.  But I was and am pretty good at triage.

Of the things I think I need to do, what are the things I really do need to do?  When do I need to do them?  What is the most effective way to do what I have to do?

Implicit in knowing what you need to do is having clarity on what you are supposed to accomplish.

I cannot begin to tell you how many development directors tell me they are too busy to get out in front of their donors.  And they don’t have the time to “babysit” their Board members, who, after all, are supposed to be fundraising.  And how busy could they—the Board members–be?  I mean, we only recruited them because they are affluent and/or influential, and those things don’t take time.

OK, I am ranting.  With cause.

I see so many organizations that are going to end this year in the red because everyone was too busy to create a serious, effective fundraising plan.  Why bother?  They would have been too busy to follow it anyway.  I have had clients who were too busy to meet, because their organization is going down the tubes, and somehow they cannot connect the dots—they hired me to help them build a sustainable fundraising program, but they are too busy to take the necessary steps.

Mercifully, these are the minority, but still, it makes me mad.

Most nonprofits exist because there is a serious need for the work they do.  And it important that they be able to meet their mission.  That, of course, takes money.  Ensuring sustainable streams of revenue is a critical piece of managing a nonprofit.  But somehow it is the one piece that too many nonprofit leaders miss.

They are good, sometimes great, at program.  They speak articulately and passionately to their cause.  They inspire, but they aren’t always savvy about the business side of the house.  Too many nonprofits don’t bring in enough funding—charitable or otherwise—to effectively make a real difference.  Instead of high impact, they show promise; instead of building, they hang on for dear life.

As we come to the end of one year and head into the next, consider how busy you are.  And think about how to ensure that you are busy doing to right and important things—the things that will not just keep your nonprofit’s doors open, but ensure that you are reaching out as far as you can.

 

Janet Levine works with nonprofits and educational organizations, helping them to increase their fundraising capacity, meet their goals and change the world for the better.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com

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The Elusive Meaning of Excellence

Posted on December 20, 2011 by

In his blog, Doulas Mclennan asks: “If I built the best-ever VCR, would you rush out to buy it?”

He then answers his own question:  “Of course not. Even though my VCR might be the most excellent VCR, no one cares about VCRs anymore.

Being excellent at something no one cares about doesn’t get you very far.”

While he is talking about the arts, this is a question all nonprofits should be pondering.  We say we are excellent—but what does that really mean?  And, if your job is fundraising, how do you define the excellent work you do in a way that will resonate with your potential donors?

When I was younger and looking for a job, I often applied for things that were just a bit out my reach.  Because I carefully crafted my cover letter and make sure my resume was informed by the ad (and this in the days before personal computers), despite my lack of many of the stated qualifications, I frequently got interviews (more frighteningly, I often was offered the job).

In almost every interview, I would be asked to talk about why I thought I was the right candidate for the job.  And you know, I had no clue.  Because it sounded interesting to me?  Because I wanted to move up the food chain? Because I was unhappy where I was and was applying to anything remotely connected to what I as doing?

No, none of those would have played well.  So I would tell them that I was “very good at what I do,” and then throw out some of the qualifications or attributes they had mentioned in their job description.

“I have strong verbal and written communication skills,” was my favorite.  But I was also detailed minded (not) and collaborative (yes).  And because they had never stopped to think about what, really, they wanted the person who got this position to accomplish, they didn’t actually know what it was they were looking for.

What that meant was that they had a high incidence of hiring precisely the wrong person.

Being very clear about what you want; what you are, are critical pieces of ensuring you get where you want to go.  In fundraising, I can use platitudes if I am raising small amounts of money; but when I am talking with major donors, it becomes critical to be specific, clear and precise.  “We do good work,” may be true, but a sophisticated major donor is bound to ask you: “In what way?”

And when you answer, you need to look in two directions:  What, specifically, makes you stand out AND what about that fits the aspirations and goals of your donor?

 

Janet Levine is a consultant who works with nonprofit and educational organizations, helping them to increase their fundraising capacity.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com.

 

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Crisis Fundraising

Posted on December 14, 2011 by

Many years ago, I managed a bookbindery.  The line jobs were both boring and low paying, and many of the workers could have/should have been doing more.

“I’m going to go back to school,” one of them told me.  “Then I can get a better job.”  But for now, she added, she needed to do this so she could pay her rent and pay off her car.

I tried to convince her not to wait; I told her that I would help and make sure she could work enough hours to meet her obligations.  It wouldn’t be easy, but in a few years, she would be in such a better place.  But always she had a reason why she couldn’t.

After about 2 years, I moved on.  But she didn’t.   She was still on the line; still talking about what she was going to do—when this, that, or the other thing happened.   I’d like to think that she eventually got it together and today—almost forty years later—she has retired from a really good job.  But I doubt it.  She had gotten used to living paycheck to paycheck and to thinking that she couldn’t change that pattern until things got better.

It’s this type of fallacious thinking that is rampant in many nonprofits.  They are so focused on raising enough money to close the gap between what they need to run the organization and what money they have that they think they can’t focus on planning to raise money to add value to their core mission.

This is crisis fundraising.

I know.  You HAVE to keep your doors open.  You must raise money to do that now.  And that means you will keep:

  • Going back to your loyal donors and asking them—again—to bail you out
  • Doing that event that doesn’t really bring in all that much but it’s tried and true and beside, the Board likes it.
  • Continue “slash and burn” fundraising—only talking to donors when you need a check.  Now.
  • Not having time to figure out a reasonable plan to get you out of this mess and fundraising for the future.

As I say to my dogs when they start to whine…STOP IT.

You will never have the time to plan, unless you make the time.  Time well spent because, to quote from someone, “plan your work, then work your plan,” really does work.

More importantly, building for the future will actually help your bottom line now.  For example, is you take the time to build a planned giving program, not only will you benefit later, but you will also benefit today.  All studies show that people who make a deferred gift also make annual gifts.  And typically, those annual gifts are larger than they would be without a deferred gift.  Why?  Think about it.  If someone cares enough to want to support you tomorrow, it stands to reason that they will want to ensure that you are strong and viable and you do that by supporting things in the present.  And it works the same with current major gifts.

Indeed, your focus should be on building loyal donors, particularly those with the ability to make a major gift.  But to do that, you will have to have a vision—on that goes beyond the crisis of keeping the doors open.

Janet Levine works with nonprofits and educational organizations helping them to increase fundraising capacity.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com 

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Motherhood and Apple Pie…and Nonprofit Boards

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

My first 4 years as a development professional was at a large university, where I was not at the level where I got to work with the Board of Trustees.  Fundraising was completely staff driven, and the only natural partners I had were the dean and some of the faculty.  So I was really excited when I got to my first job as the development director at a small nonprofit.  Our board was extremely well connected, very wealthy, and fundraising savvy. They gave handsomely and bought tables (yes, plural) to the annual gala. I thought I died and went to heaven.  Until it came time to actually work with them on fundraising.  In their mind, that was why I was hired, and they didn’t understand why I would expect them—busy men and women all—to do my job.

I complained to my sister, whom I often say is the mirror image of me.  For example, I have spent most of my career working for or with nonprofits in advancement and she has spent the same years as a major donor and board member of a number of organizations.

To my chagrin, she agreed with my board.

Before I had much of a chance to argue, my sister asked, “What is it you really want from your board?  They make an annual gift; they buy tables at your gala; what else are you expecting?”

“Well,” I countered.  “Introductions.  Connections.  Help in cultivating and soliciting.”  Her response?  “Oh please.”

As we continued to talk she told me about her frustration of being asked by development staff for “names,” or being told to go out and “raise funds.”  She didn’t so much mind that when it was for small annual gifts or to fill seats at the annual gala, but when it came to more major gifts she wanted a whole lot more from the organization.

She would have been happy to be part of a process BUT—and this is a very important but—she did not want to be the fundraiser.  Or, as she eloquently put it—“If I had wanted to be a development director, I’d be a development director.” More importantly, she wanted to understand what the names were for.  If it was just so she—my sister—could go out and ask them for funds, no thank you.  All that would happen is that they would, in turn, ask my sister for a gift for their preferred organization.

So, I asked, what would make her—and by extension, my board members—be positive partners in development? She happily—and specifically—answered.

I’ve boiled down what she told me into a few easy points.

  1. Clarity of purpose.  Work with your board to explain how the process works at your organization and what you see their role to be.  And be realistic. Remember, these are either busy working people or busy retired people; while they may love your organization to bits, only a small fraction of them will have the time or the inclination to donate massive (more) hours.
  2. A process.  Don’t ask your board members to “bring in names of 5 people who could….”  Odds are they won’t and if they do, all you will end up with is…names.  DO bring forward a solid list of prospects and ask them who they have connections with and what they can tell you about these people.
    1. If you are pulling these people from your database, look for loyal donors; donors who are connected to your organization in special ways.  Having a child at your school is good; having several children is better.  Being an active participant in the parent association or class mother, or whatever is better still.
    2. If not on your list, look for people you have reason to believe might—if approached correctly—have an interest in what you do.

i.     People who have spoken out about the importance of Jewish education

ii.     People who are related to those who are involved with your school

  1. Creating a strategy.  As board members identify who they know/are connected with, work with them on a strategy—and remember, that strategy consists of what will be done to secure an endowment gift (over time—remember, this can take a very long time) and who will be doing what.
  2. Agreement.   Make sure you understand what they are willing to do. And ensure that you support them in that.
  3. Ownership.  Most importantly, remember—YOU are paid to do this.  YOU have the immediate vested interest in getting it done.  And this is why I think that one of the best trainings a development director can have is…motherhood.

In my years in development—both as staff and now as a consultant, my main job is as a nudge; my most important skill is persistence.

After my conversation with my sister, I went back to my board and put what she told me into practice.  I pulled together a list of people I thought had the capacity to make a major gift and had an interest in what we did.  What we needed to find was a way to get us on their radar.  And as we identified who they knew and how they knew them, we devised an overall strategy and a few first steps.  I learned that while some board members would actually set that lunch, most wouldn’t.  So I became very realistic about what would and would not occur.  And most of the time, I set the appointment.  “Hi, I’m calling for (Board member).  S/he would like to invite you/your boss to…..”

As we moved along the cultivation continuum, I kept the board member in the loop, always asked if s/he wanted to be a part of the next move (indeed, often asked what the next move should be in their opinion—and sometimes I actually thought they were right), and—perhaps most importantly—what they wanted their role to be.

Every success—from getting an appointment to getting a gift was celebrated, with the Board member or members who had been involved, no matter how tangentially, loudly recognized.

Over the years, the boards I’ve worked with have varied tremendously in their fundraising activities.  But no matter where we started, by understanding, and getting them to understand, our specific and detailed roles and responsibilities, I have been able to watch them increase their involvement and see fundraising success grow exponentially.

Janet Levine is a consultant, coach and trainer who works with nonprofit and educational organizations helping them to see their fundraising success grow exponentially.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com and while there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter.

 

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Planned Giving–Not Just For the Elderly or the Rich

Posted on November 30, 2011 by

When I was a young child, the thing that frightened me most about the future was the last 4-1/2 years of my life.  My sister, who I adored above all else, is 4-1/2 years older than I, and to my child’s logic, that meant  she would die, exactly, 4-1/2 years before I would.  And those would be lonely, scary years.

Of course, I soon discovered that life isn’t quite so linear or fair.  People die at all ages.  And so I am constantly surprised that so many fundraisers think that they should only ask the elderly to consider leaving a nonprofit in their will.

Likewise, when I talk with clients about a planned giving program, most insist on focusing only on their wealthiest donors.  But those are not necessarily the most likely planned givers.

Think about it.  If you are going to give a gift but not be around to see how it is actually used and what/if  any impact it has, then the qualities you possess are vision (so you can see into the future) and loyalty.  Loyalty to the mission and the organization.  And a strong belief that this is the place where your vision will come true.

Wealth?  Surely there is nothing wrong with being a wealthy donor.  But if you are going to make a deferred gift—one that occurs after your lifetime—there are many, many ways that the not-so-wealthy can arrange for substantial support.

When I started in this business years ago (as a child fundraiser, of course), planned giving was all about those vehicles.  Today, it is more about helping donors achieve their dreams.

Instead of leading with CRT’s (be they CRAT’S, CRUTS, LT’s or any other such acronym), insurance policies, gifts of real estate with life tenancies or any other such mechanism, the focus today is on what is really important:  What does the donor hope to accomplish with his, her or their gift?

And to find out what the donor wants, you must engage.  You must build a relationship, and that takes time.  Deferred gifts, of course, are all about time:  Time to develop, time to mature.

And because these gifts happen later on, it is really important that the vision is broad.  You really don’t want a gift today that supports buying typewriters for girls studying to be secretaries.  Or for a program you no longer do.  In other words, you want to avoid a vision that ceases to be visionary.

And this where a loyal donor—someone truly committed to your work and your future—makes the most difference.

Wealthy donors who don’t have a history and a passion for what you do tend to want what they want.  Loyal donors at all socio-economic levels also want what they want, but they want it to mesh with what the organization will need.  They understand that needs change, and therefore, their deferred gift.

So if  you are looking for those few donors who will make what has often been called the “ultimate” gift, look longitudinally.  Who are the people who regularly—over long periods of time—support your organization?  It doesn’t matter if their gifts are uniformly small.  What matters is that they uniformly make a gift.

Meet with them; dream with them.  What kind of legacy would  they like to leave at your organization?  Don’t talk dollars at these first meetings.  The thing about planned giving is that you have time to figure out with them (and their advisors) how to make that gift.  That’s where all those marvelous vehicles come in.  But later.  Later.

First comes the commitment.  Then the dream.  And with that dream will come the desire.  And then the idea that they can make a difference not just now but forever will take hold—and the method will be found.

Janet Levine works with nonprofit organizations, helping them to increase fundraising capacity and ensure not just today but also tomorrow.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com 

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Don’t Forget to Ask

Posted on November 22, 2011 by

Many years ago, catastrophe struck a close friend.  At least, that’s what I learned many months after the fact.  In the intervening time, I thought—well, I don’t know what I thought.  I just knew she seemed to be avoiding me.

“I didn’t want to bother you,” she said when I asked why she hadn’t asked me—a long-time, close friend—for help.  And while I knew it was churlish of me to be thinking about my feelings rather than hers, the truth was that I was hurt.  Clearly, our friendship didn’t mean the same thing to her if she couldn’t even tell me what was going on.  Obviously, we weren’t as close as I thought if she couldn’t ask me for help when she needed it.

I thought about this friend recently when several board members of an organization told me they didn’t feel comfortable asking annual donors for a major gift.  These donors, they opined, had already given.

Now, I hope that you are not only going to your donors when catastrophe strikes.  Indeed, I hope catastrophe doesn’t strike at all.  But your relationship with your donors is very similar to that you have with friends.  That means that you share, or should share what is going on with your (organization’s) life.  It also means that you find ways to share and involve your donors and prospects (more) in your organization.

And yes, oftentimes that means asking your donor for help.

Note that doesn’t have mean help as in “we’re in trouble.”  It can mean, “help us to continue or start something.”  It can also mean help us to grow, and help us to ensure our future.  And it is precisely the people with whom you have a long standing relationship—generally your annual donors—who are most likely to want to help.

We all know that the reason many people don’t make charitable donations is because no one asks them.  And we also know that too often the only people we do ask are the same people we’ve been asking to support us over the years. But if you’ve been careful to involve them in the life of the organization, they won’t be offended that you are asking….again.

They may not always give. Oftentimes, especially for larger gifts, you will need to nurture the relationship and take your time before that next ask.  But you must keep them close.

Keeping them close will help you to learn what their needs are.  Yes, their needs.  Donors don’t always give for the reasons we think.  Sure, they care about the work you do.  Perhaps passionately.  And that passion oftentimes translates into a dream they want to accomplish

But they can’t accomplish their dream if you don’t give them the opportunity to do so.  And that means asking them for their support and their help.  Honestly, they will thank you for it.

 

Janet Levine works with nonprofit and educational organizations, helping them to increase their fundraising capacity.  Learn more at http://janetlevineconsulting.com or by emailing her at janet@janetlevineconsulting.com

 

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